Dress-trimming



(No Model.)

A. L. RICE.

DRESS TRIMMING.

m N E QWM ATTURNEYE.

N. PETERS. Phnto-Lnhugnplvar. Washmglon, n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrtce.

ALBERT L. RICE, OF IVHEELING, \VEST VIRGINIA.

DRESS-TRIMMING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,525, dated October 24, 1882.

Application filed January 28. 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. Rios, a resident of IVheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress'Trinr mings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates specially to that class of textile fabrics known to the trade as hand and machine made embroideries, edgings, and insertin gs. Heretofore this class of goods has been worked upon a continuous plain strip of muslin of suitable width, with two or more parallel rows of embroidery on each web of muslin. The goods are then folded in convenient widths and doubled over and folded together in such a manner that the entire package must first be opened and the goods unfolded before the end can be obtained to remove any portion of the embroidery. In order to sever a strip or row of the embroidery or any portion thereof when desired for the purposes of the retail trade, the salesman must first unfold the goods for convenience in measuring and cutting, and then with a pair scissors cut the row lengthwise of the goods until the desired quantity is removed, when it is measured with a yard-stick and cut off the requisite length. This mode of severing the rows of embroidery is objectionable in several ways: First, the edge of the embroidery is liable to be injured by unskillful cutting; second, it is almost impossible to cut a long strip with an even straight edge; third, the liability of allowing too little or not sufl'icient margin on each strip; fourth, the inconvenience of having to use a measure to ascertain the amount of goods removed; tifth, the trouble of unfolding the goods to cut off the embroidery, especially when a large quantity is required; sixth, the soiling of the goods by the rough handling and unavoidable exposure while cutting the rows from each other; seventh, the loss en tailed by remnants caused by indiscriminate cutting, which cannot be avoided when the goods are manufactured in this manner.

To overcome these objections I propose to manufacture the goods with a line of perforations between each row of embroidery at or near the edge of each row, as may be requisite, acoording to the purposes for which the goods are intended, for the purpose of separating the rows of embroidery by simply tearing off each strip from the bolt as required. To facilitate the operation and avoid unnecessary handling, I then propose tofold the goods back and forth in a reverse manner in one yard or fraction of a yard lengths, similar to the folds of a ladys fan, the end of each folding to be fastened with a thread to hold them together. The rows may then be IOlllOK'Otl in this way without having to unfold the goods or having to resort to a measure to tell the amount being removed.

In the drawing the figure is a perspective view of a piece of embroidery perforated and folded as I propose.

The letters B B B designate the rows of embroidery on the strip of muslin; U G, the line of perforations; c c, the ties to hold the folds together. Tlie'line of perforations can be made by a continuous row of small round holes, or by a round hole and oblong slot, or, where the muslin back will permit, the line of separation can be made by a crease or other similar methods used for analogous purposes.

The advantages of perforating and folding the embroidery up in this way are as follows: First, the line of separation, being regular and close to the edge of the embroidery, admits of the same being removed by simply tearing off the quantity desired without liability of injury to the embroidery, or it being cut irregular, as is the case in the old way; second, the strips being fastened at the ends of the folds by worsted or other suitable ties, protects the goods from soiling, wrinkling, and getting out of the folds and allows of a single strip being torn off without disturbing the remainder of the bolta very desirable feature when the goods are constantly on exhibition; third, being folded in lengths of one yarn or fractions thereof, the necessity for measures of any kind is removed and mistakes in measuring avoided; fourth, the liability of injury to the embroidery by indiscriminate cutting and making bad remnants being by this plan obviated, there is agreat saving of goods effected; iifth,

the necessity of unfolding the goods in order to remove the'strip of embroidery is avoided, and also the refolding of the goods, which is necessary in theold Way; sixth, the saving of time and labor in removing the embroidery in this Way is obvious, and need not specially be referred to.-

I am aware that a band and ruffle has been flattened on both sides for a portion of its Width, and having strips of cloth permanently affixed to such flattened portion; but as such flattened portion is not perforated, the device in no sense resembles my invention, and I therefore vdisclaim it. 

